Thin Blue Lines
by willow1850
Summary: Seth left her on the side of a road with some money, a passport and a car. What if that wasn't the only thing he left with her? Disclaimer: I don't own anything from the Dusk Till Dawn series.
1. Chapter 1

Kate sat on the toilet shaking the plastic stick in her hand, but it didn't work like that unfortunately, that second blue line stared back at her defiantly anyway. It had been one time, I mean it literally had been the night she lost her virginity. A tear filled hoarse laugh escaped from her throat as she remembered the night it happened. It had been everything she had imagined it would be, more even. Everything she imagined it would be until the next morning that is, when she turned around to face him excited to see him and she still remembered seeing his face, feeling the smile die on her face when she saw the regret in his eyes and she just knew. She had felt ill, ashamed, embarrassed that it hadn't been the same for him as it had been for her. He had been kind to her of course, if anything he tried too hard to make it better but that night for him at least had spelled their end as partners in crime. He hadn't liked that she was underage, although barely, he hadn't liked that in a moment of inebriation some imaginary line had been crossed between them. She had fought for them as best she knew how, told him over and over that it was fine, good even that she had liked it. She told him repeatedly she had wanted him since the beginning, that she trusted him more than anyone left on this planet but no amount of telling him she had wanted it seemed to make any difference. Thinking back on it made her face flush that she had been so desperate to make him stay. He though, was just so convinced that he had fucked up and kept finding reasons for them to part ways.

In the end he had told her they wanted different things, she wanted to find Scott and Seth wanted to stay away from all things culebra. This part of the argument had lasted for days but it finally happened on the side of some dusty road in nowhere Mexico he finally snapped. He handed her almost all of the money they had made from their last heist, a fake passport with her picture in it and the keys to the car. The last image she had of him was seared into her skull; his black suit clad back walking into the distance. She had sat there in that stuffy car watching him disappear for minutes, fuck maybe hours she had no idea, as she cried, deep gut wrenching tears, but in the end it changed nothing. So in the end she picked the best direction she knew that headed towards the border and just start driving and went in search of Scott. Scott who could literally be anywhere, Scott who could literally be nothing but dust on a road somewhere by now.

Now, two weeks later, she was sat on a toilet in a gas station bathroom in the states staring at the same second blue line appear on her second test in the twenty minutes. She was pregnant and she had no one left in her life to turn to and had nowhere left to go. Bethel was out because it would be nothing but a world of questions and accusations and suspicious glances. Her family, they were gone and for all she knew Seth too could be dead by now.

So she did the only thing she knew she could do, she made a plan. Her life the past nearly four months had been nothing more than a series of plans, some good and some worse than awful. This one though had to be the kind to keep her afloat and steady and sane long enough to have a baby and then raise them. She stopped in the first decent looking town she found and got herself a job, booked herself a doctors appointment and went to the local community college to look up courses. She needed to start making some long term decisions and not just day to day anymore, she wasn't going to raise a baby on measly diner wages forever. So she got a copy of her graduation certificate and enrolled in all the coursework she could both manage and afford while working to get herself a qualification worth a damn. From that day on she worked every shift she could get and attended every lecture she could squeeze in to her schedule. It wasn't perfect and it meant she literally had a life no teenage girl would want for herself but this was not just about her anymore.


	2. Chapter 2

The town itself reminded her a lot of Bethel, what little of it Kate had explored in any case, her life here fell inside a narrow routine of a handful of places, so adventures only happened when she got lost, which hadn't happened in a while now thankfully. During Kate's shifts her books could be found nestled behind the counter in the diner for those in between quiet moments or in her rucksack running to classes or doctors appointments. Downtime for Kate pretty much existed of sleeping hours and eating at the diner.

Most of the town had been kind and welcoming and others had been, well, not so welcoming but she had been raised to be tough and took it all in stride. She knew this kind of town well, and the kinds of people who lived in it, from the sincerest well wishers to the abusive bible bashing types who called her a whore and to the folks who fell somewhere in between with their slightly condescending tone telling her how brave she was to be going it alone. Which was not so subtle code for calling her a whore but there were too classy to say it outright. She didn't much care about any of it though, all she cared about was the baby growing inside of her and how she could make their life more.

She worked until the moment she felt her first contraction, literally, and one of the girls drove her to the hospital before rushing back to make their shift. The moment her little boy was born and placed in her arms, she had cried tears of joy and felt the sheer terror and responsibility fall squarely on her shoulders. He was perfect though and perfectly healthy and most of all, he was hers. She hated that she had no one to share this moment with, but at least some of the girls from the diner had visited her the next day and the owner had helped bring her home the day after. It wasn't perfect, no, but it was something and was a lot better than nothing. She called her little boy Seth after his daddy. It was likely little Seth may never meet his daddy but at least in that small way they would be forever connected to one another. Maybe it was stupid but that was extremely important to her in a way she couldn't fully explain to herself.

That first year with Seth had been a delirious one where she got almost no sleep and she exchanged babysitting rota's with the other girls in work and snuck her baby boy into lectures in a carrier and hoped no one would notice her little boy latched on to her breast snuggled under her light blue scarf. She joined the local church too and went every Sunday she wasn't working because they had the best infant programs which she took full advantage of. She could more than talk the talk with religious folk, it was practically in her blood but how she actually felt about religion and God now was far more contentious that it ever had been in her entire life. It was however an opinion she very much kept to herself, she needed them at least in as much as little Seth needed them. He could make his own decisions when he was older after all. Until then, this would have to be her life and she would play the part of a good christian woman. At least it was a part she could play in her sleep, there was even part of her that wished desperately she could go back to that time when her faith was so simple, pure and comforting. She had seen too much since then though, some of it still haunted her dreams occasionally but she was far from the Twister now.


	3. Chapter 3

Her boy was three now and he looked just like his daddy, with his big dark eyes and dark hair and that same cheeky smile that she had fallen so hard for all those years ago. When she was working now he usually sat at the counter and the girls babysat him instead now when she attended lectures and she babysat for them when she could in return. Her colleagues had been good to her. She was nearly done with school now and only had her finals left. So as usual she discretely read her book under the counter as her little boy coloured in his pictures with his furious intense concentration. Kate smiled over at him before she turned to click off the coffee machine that had just beeped having brewed a fresh pot of coffee and when she turned back she found none other than Santanico Pandemonium sitting on front of her at the counter as her little boy sat completely unaware of her only a seat away. She looked exactly the same only her outfit now was a lot less showy and a little more practical, but it had always been her beauty not her outfits that had made her outshine all those around her.

Kate swallowed "Wow Santanico, its been awhile, its good to see you".

Santanico smiled warmly back genuinely pleased to see her "Kate? Its lovely to see you. I didn't expect to see you here. I go by Kisa now". It would be so easy to forget she was culebra, a predator, then again most good predators were beautiful although Kate knew had no real reason to fear her. If Kisa had wanted her dead, she no doubt would have been by now. Her boy looked over with his huge grin and Kate smiled back at him.

"Back to the colouring little man. So Kisa what brings you here?" Kate asked.

"Habit. Richard loved these places and even though we are no longer together. I don't know I guess I find I like them too, they are whats the word, ah yes, quaint. How have you been Kate?" She asked her eyes slipping over to Seth curiously. Kate wondered if Kisa could see the resemblance, honestly it was hard not to but she wondered if she would put the pieces together.

"I'm ok" Kate smiled.

"Seth's?" Kisa asked and Kate had her answer, that hadn't taken long at all. She saw her boy's head snap towards Kisa at the utterance of his name.

"I don't think you need the answer to that question but yes. He doesn't know though, we had parted way just before I found out".

"You don't know where he is?" Kisa asked looking somehow interested and disinterested in the answer all at once.

"No. I tried looking at first but little Seth was growing inside me and stability needed to be my primary focus" she smiled at her boy who grinned back.

"He's beautiful Kate, you have a pen and paper?" Kisa asked.

"Yeah" said Kate handing her notepad and pen curiously and she watched as Kisa scribbled down an address and handed it back to her.

"If you decide you want to find him" Kisa smiled.

Kate chest constricted as she looked down at the little slip of paper and her hand shook as she took it from her. Kate tore the page out of the pad wordlessly and stuffed it into her back pocket.

She cleared her throat from the upset that was building there and nodded "Thank you. So what can I get you" she asked to move it away from all thoughts of him.

"Whatever is on special and coffee please" she smiled and Kate nodded and scribbled down the order before passing it back into the kitchen before she turned to the coffee pot and grabbed a cup.

"You want to meet him, I mean you're practically his aunt in all this mess" Kate smiled discretely wiping away the traitor tear that slipped down her face.

"Really?" Asked Kisa with a broad smile as if the idea had never crossed her mind but an apprehensiveness crept in as she considered it "I don't really know anything about kids".

"He's a sweet kid I promise, Hey Seth. This is your aunt Kisa" Kate said looking at her boy look up excitedly. He too was painfully aware that unlike all his friends, he had no family besides Kate and the stories she told him about his daddy. Innocent little stories about how he had protected her and had taken care of her when she had needed it. How he was a good man. She desperately needed her boy to believe that his daddy was a good man. The truth was of course more complicated than that but it always was.

"Hi" he proclaimed and Kisa smiled "Hey, are you colouring?" She asked looking back at Kate, fear in her eyes and Kate nodded. It was strange to see this ancient creature who could tear them all apart for the thinking of it, would be terrified of this little prone boy on front of her.

"Yeah, its blue" he said handing her a crayon "want to colour with me?".

"Um, sure" she said smiling and moved over a seat to be beside him and gently took the crayon from him. He moved over the picture towards her and she leaned over started moving the crayon over the page uncertainly as Seth returned to his furious colouring.

Kate watched them when she could and helped Kisa pry herself away when her order was up so she could get her food eaten. By the time Kisa was done, Kate's shift was pretty much done too. "Can you keep an eye on him for me, just want to grab my coat" Kate asked Kisa as Trisha came in to take over from her.

"Sure, yes I can do that" she nodded.

Kate came back to find Kisa still completely enamoured with her little boy and Kate realized a little too late in all of this that Kisa had never had the chance or the choice to have her own children. Sure she had made other culebra, but Kate doubted it was the same. "Alright little man, get your coat on" she said and watched as he went around in circles trying to get his second arm into it. Kisa smirked over at her as she watched the spectacle before walking them out, Kate was surprised to see Kisa had come on a motorcycle. It was not something she had pictured for this ancient being for some reason, it was too slick, too modern.

"Bye Seth, be good to your mama, you're lucky to have her" Kisa said crouching down as her boy gave her a hug and a kiss. Kisa looked up at Kate wearing a broad smile. Oh yeah Kisa was smitten with her boy.

"Bye Aunty Kisa" he said and Kate nodded "Bye Kisa, don't be a stranger".

Kisa nodded as she climbed on to her bike and drove off into the distance. Kate felt the weight of the paper in her pocket as she watched her disappear but she wasn't ready. After her final exams, maybe.

After that night Kisa visited them regularly and spoiled her little boy with gifts and candies. She babysat and watched cartoons and films with him as often as she could get away from whatever it was that Kisa did. She never said and Kate knew better than to ask.


	4. Chapter 4

Three months later Kisa was staring over at Kate from the couch in Kates's living area with her arm slung around little Seth as Kate fidgeted with her newly bought dress. Tonight, Kate had a date. His name was Jeff; a regular at the diner, and he had been asking her out for almost a year now. In truth, a date had been the last thing on Kate's mind, but between her colleagues near constant cajouling and his good natured persistence she had finally caved and said yes. Her lack of interest had nothing to do with Jeff per se, he was a really sweet guy but she just wasn't interested in dating anyone right now, except Seth her mind reminded her unhelpfully, but she shoved that thought right back down where it belonged. She didn't feel the girlish excitement she knew she should have been feeling waiting for her date to show, all she felt was a gnawing guilt in the pit of her stomach. She had tried telling herself that her reluctance was really just fear, I mean she had never been on a real adult date before and of course there was little Seth to consider, but she knew that while both of those things were true that wasn't what was making her stomach churn. That honour went to Seth Gecko, the man who had laid claim to a large part of her heart many years ago now and had never let it go. She had tried to deny it to herself, tried to avoid thinking about it, about him, but it didn't matter, he popped into her mind near constantly these days. Especially now that her boy looked so much like him and had that wicked smile of his. Every time she saw it, it made her lips stretch into a smile and her heart ache for the man who had been her anchor for those few months after the Twister.

Kate's eyes met Kisa's from across the room and she smiled, Kisa who saw right through her faux enthusiasm. Her sceptical eyes having barely left Kate since she had came over to babysit over an hour ago. Kate had already learned that there was no hiding things like this from Kisa, she was just too shrewd. Kisa had already seen right through all her denials about Seth, a fact which Kate just ignored now and no longer debated with her fierce friend. Kate's smile turned brittle as the knock came to the door. She called out "Be right there" as she walked over to her boy giving him a kiss on the forehead and reminded Kisa where everything was. Kate took a breath and opened the door smiling the warmest smile she could manage for Jeff.

Less than thirty minutes later, Kate sat across from Jeff in a lovely restaurant still smiling her warm but achingly stiff smile. Her fingers twisted around each other under the table as they waited for their food and she felt nothing but guilt as she sat across from this really sweet man who seemed to really like her. She could tell that he was making such a big effort too and she really wanted to feel something for this good man sitting on front of her but she just didn't. She hated herself for all of this, this was so unfair to both of them and she hated that she had allowed herself to be talked into this date, this farce. The kindest thing she could have done was tell him to move on to someone who could feel those things right back for him. He deserved that much, he really was a good guy. Instead, she just sat there trying her best to feel any kind of romantic interest in Jeff but she soon realized the only word she really had for him was sweet. Every single time she reached for more adjectives to describe Jeff all that came to mind was that he was sweet, good too, kind, sure but mostly, sweet. Seth had never been sweet, he had been rough around the edges and broken but he had also been strong, caring, sexy, dangerous and being around him had felt exciting and comforting all at once. Even when she had hated him and she had at times, she had still loved him. Jeff was not just not that guy and he never would be, but yeah he sure was sweet. Oh god this felt awful and her stomach churned as she did her best to eat her meal placed on front of her and smile back at him but she felt like she was betraying so many people all at once just by being here with him, most of all herself and her boy.

Kate felt relief finally creep in and her chest begin to loosen as their food and awkward conversation drew to a close, it would soon be over. She smiled up at the server as they collected their plates discretely and left. Her attention landed back on Jeff, who smiled and took a breath "Kate, I don't want to mess you around because you're a single mother. You have responsibilities, so I want to be upfront with you".

The relief she had been feeling evaporated and anxiety crashed over her once more and Kate swallowed roughly and just sat there mute as every alarm in her body went off and her mind started chanting no, no, no.

Jeff continued "We know each other pretty well and I know your boy too. So you know I like you, have for a long while and your boy is such a sweet kid. So in the spirit of being upfront and letting my intentions be known and this doesn't have to be straight away Kate, I know that, but I'd like to marry you" he said with nothing but a vulnerable sincerity in his eyes.

Well there it was, thought Kate, somehow this night had gotten even worse. What on earth was he thinking? This was their first date. It was a sweet offer, there was that word again she thought, maybe even an offer most single mothers would have jumped at. After all, he was a good man with a good job and marrying a man like him would certainly mean safety, security, and a clear future for her and her son but the thought of it churned her stomach, this was their first date. It was sweet, kind of, but oh god it just felt all so wrong. She genuinely had no idea how to react and she was sure she had just been sitting there for an uncomfortably long time but her mouth just wouldn't work until finally she managed to swallow and took a shaky breath.

"Wow... I mean thats a really sweet offer Jeff, I mean, really it is, but I just can't accept. It just wouldn't be fair to either of us" she said with a sad smile and a sick stomach.

"Maybe you should take some time to think about it first, I mean we don't have to get engaged straight away thats not what I'm saying. Cause I know this is sudden" He asked a flicker of hope still in his eyes and fuck she really didn't want to be the one to have to kill it but she knew she had too. She shouldn't have even let it get this far.

"This is a first date Jeff, its a lot, I mean I get that we know each other pretty well but its still too much. It is sweet and I appreciate you being upfront with me I really do, but I can't marry you. I'm so sorry" she said looking down at her hands, glad that at least there had been no ring sitting on the table and that they had finished dinner first so that this awkwardness would be over soon. Oh god please let this be over soon.

He nodded to her solemnly pain contorting his face and she hated herself for it. He paid for their dinner despite her pleading request to at the very least split the bill and he walked her back to his car and drove her back to her place in a painful imposing silence.

"Goodnight" she said as she stepped out of the car and he just nodded to her once more before leaving. She stood on front of her home a solid minute before she composed herself enough to walk inside. At least her boy should be in bed.

Kisa opened the door and Kate watched her face fall as she saw her dreary expression.

"Is the little man in bed?" Kate asked to break the uncomfortable beat of silence.

"Yeah. It didn't go well I take it" Kisa replied concerned.

"It was fine and then it wasn't. Would you mind holding on for a couple hours, there is something I should really go and do" Kate said almost resigned.

Kisa smiled "Its about time. Go". Kate nodded a ghost of a smile on her lips, she wasn't wrong. Kate walked over to her cabinet and took out one of her many photo albums and slipped out a small picture of little Seth. She grimaced over at Kisa and headed for the door and out to her car. Thirty minutes later she pulled up in front of a truck stop bar and restaurant called Jed's. Kate had put off doing this for three months because she was afraid but tonight's date had sealed this fate, had made her realize some things, mostly that Seth at the very least deserved to know the truth.


	5. Chapter 5

_This chapter was inspired by a review left by_ _SpellSlaughterWithoutLaughter, it made me want to explore Kisa's POV and some of that protective streak_

* * *

 **Kisa POV**

Kisa walked into Jed's flanked by her lieutenant Isabella. She and Richard had come to a tense agreement after many months of heated arguments in the aftermath of Malvado's death. It hadn't even been close to what she had wanted for her people and she hated that it had made sense, hated Richard more than a little too, mostly she hated the pain he had caused her. She hated that it still stung every time she saw his smug face not that she would ever let him see that. Their agreement stated that once a month Kisa would come to Jed's to help streamline offerings from the various culebra factions and then a week later Seth and Richard made their offering to her. No, it wasn't ideal, nor was it something she had sought out but it did provide her people with stability, a little freedom and standard of living. It wasn't the freedom she had hoped for her people but it seemed that they hadn't wanted the same freedom she had wanted for herself. They all still looked to her as their queen or goddess, as if somehow she had all the answers. It never seemed to matter what she told them, they were adamant in their devotion.

As she entered the basement of Jed's, her eyes landed on Seth and they narrowed, little Kate Fuller and her boy was all she saw now when she looked at Seth. Meeting Kate and her boy that evening, several months back now, in that little diner in the middle of a nearby town had changed her. After Malvado's death she had expected to feel satisfaction maybe even happiness and she had, for a little while but not long after the same frustration and pain and emptiness she had always felt surfaced once more. That night though she had felt something inside her relax and over the next few months she had begun to heal during her time spent with her new family, her people would always be her people but they were family. Kate and her boy had welcomed her, pulled her right in to their little family with open, accepting arms, something she would have never imagined she needed but she had and it was something she knew she didn't deserve, but Kate was not a fan of the word deserve. Kisa knew that she had caused Kate a great deal of pain, so caught up in her own selfish plans for escape and revenge. Kate should hate her, or at least fear her or maybe even both. Of course Kisa would have never wanted that but at least it would have made sense to her, but Kate seemed perfectly content to let the past live in the past. How Kate could do that so easily Kisa had no idea, her desire for revenge had been the only thing to fuel her for so much of her existence. That Kate could just accept what had happened to her and move on was something she was genuinely amazed by. Not only did Kate not hold it against her Kate had made her family, Kate had made her an Aunt, an Aunt to her precious little boy. That stirred something in her she would never have expected, nor did she fully understand it. Kisa had never been a mother and she no longer remembered being a daughter or a sister although she felt she must have been long ago. Had she ever been an aunt? She really had no idea. Property was all she had been for the longest time, not anymore of course but it had left its mark. She had a new title now, one that had nothing to do with being a queen or a goddess, one with no expectations attached, just love. This title of Aunt she found herself immediately attached too and marvelled at how freely Kate had given it to her as if it were a given or somehow natural or assumed. Her little boy's face had turned to Kisa with the brightest smile and had pulled her right in just like his mama with nothing but pure love and warmth. Little Seth whose face echoed his daddies almost perfectly except that he had Kate's kind eyes. In fact, the only request Kate had made of her was that she echo the reality Kate had created for her boy about his daddy and to not speak ill of him. Kate had gone to pains to create a beautiful story for her boy about his daddy. One that seemed less of a lie but more of a blurring of facts with a fantasy, one that perhaps Kate had constructed as much for herself, as for her boy. Kisa knew instantly upon hearing that story that Kate was very much in love with Seth Gecko, even after all this time, even after he had left her alone in Mexico with a baby growing in her womb. Seth really didn't deserve that kind of love but then again neither did she, least of all from Kate. The real Seth Gecko was an asshole, a loyal asshole but still an asshole, certainly far more loyal than his self-centred brother but nowhere near as loyal as the force of nature that was Kate Fuller.

Kate had assured Kisa that Seth had not known about little Seth, that they had parted ways several weeks before Kate herself had even known. Even still, Kisa would be lying if she said she didn't hold it against the broken fool she was staring at now with his deep furrowed scowl. How on earth could he have just left Kate alone like that? How could he never have attempted to find her again? If not at least just to make sure she was ok, let alone raising his child. Kisa had gently prodded and pushed Kate to tell him but Kate ignored her, she was too scared. Of what Kisa wasn't sure, because despite Seth being an asshole he wasn't that kind of an asshole. The worst Seth was capable of was to provide for them financially but want no part of their little family outside of that. Even that seemed extremely unlikely to Kisa, she had only seen Richard mention Kate to Seth once and had seen the pain in his eyes and while she could certainly have misread its meaning, she suspected Seth missed Kate. Enough to want to be her happily ever after, who knew? Also, Kisa knew that Seth was miserable, running a business wasn't something that had ever interested him, Richard had mentioned as much when they were still together. Why he bothered she had no idea as Seth and Richard's relationship had become strained since the Twister, since she had interfered. Still, perhaps it was simple loyalty or maybe it was something else completely, she really couldn't be sure. Seth looked like a lost, lonely soul now, and since culebra's gossiped worse than teenage girls she had heard many stories of the Gecko's. The one that stood out to her most now was that when the Gecko's had first taken over Jed's, Seth took a different woman to bed each night for maybe a couple weeks, then one night he didn't and never had again since then. Now after work was done Seth could be found at the end of the bar swallowing down whiskey until he dragged himself to bed for the night. If she wasn't so pissed at him right now she might actually feel sorry for the man.

Kisa took her place beside them and nodded stiffly to each of them by way of greeting and waited for the procession of offerings. She found that her glares normally reserved for Richard during these meetings were now slipping over to Seth's pissed off face and had been for the last couple months, and whether fair or not she really couldn't help it. She was getting so frustrated at being unable to talk Kate into going to Jed's and this dumbass was just standing here ignorant of her struggles in his expensive suit rolling his eyes at what he saw as their stupid traditions. Ok, some of them were pretty tedious and pompous to be fair to him but still, some respect wouldn't hurt. Also, Kate lived only a 30 minute drive from this man who could at the very least lessen her financial burden if not actually make her and maybe even himself happy. Instead Seth stood here at Richard's side with contempt clear on his face, sniping at Richard. Which to be fair she normally enjoyed but not tonight, tonight it made her shoulders tense and her nose curl up.

When the last tribute departed she turned on her heels and headed for the exit but she immediately felt his approach. Why tonight she wondered she had been staring at him for months now.

"What the fuck Snake Queen someone piss in your cornflakes this morning? This is getting fucking old" Seth snapped as she held her hand up to her lieutenant to back off.

"I have fulfilled my responsibilities Seth, you sure you are fulfilling all of yours?" She said cryptically, wishing she could tell him more. She knew it wasn't her place.

"I don't even know what that means" he said crisp, the anger rippling across his face, then he stood back holding up his hands "You know, I don't have to put up with this shit" and turned to leave.

"You ever wonder what happened to the Fullers?" asked Kisa flirting dangerously with the line Kate had insistently put in place.

He turned back to her his jaw clenched and with a practiced motion and some effort he unclenched "Scott's touring with some vamp band or some shit, and Kate" he stopped, there was that flicker of pain again before he swallowed and looked away from her eyes "I don't know. Why?". He shrugged like it didn't matter, but it did, it mattered to him, Kate mattered to him.

Kisa smiled and nodded "Just been thinking about the Twister, and the many ripples of impact that night had on us all. Just had me wondering where they had ended up". Seth shrugged again and turned and Kisa left, pleased with her interference.

Kisa checked her phone as she sat into her car and saw a new message from Kate, a cute picture of her little nephew stared back at her with a little caption [Any chance you can babysit me next Friday night?]. Kisa smiled as Isabella started driving and shot back a quick reply [Sure. School?].

[No. A date].

A date? Well, that sounded nothing like Kate. Kate didn't date, Kate hadn't ever shown any interest in dating. Also she was hopelessly in love with Seth. A crisp message from Kate in any capacity was also telling, Kate didn't sound pleased. Why bother then Kisa wondered.

[Oh, thats exciting, you not happy?] Kisa asked hoping for more.

[I'm happy, just busy].

[Uh huh].

[Shut Up] came Kate's last reply and Kisa smiled. What was Kate doing to herself?

Friday came and Kisa arrived at Kate's at 6pm promptly, only to be greeted by a very stressed looking half dressed Kate. This was not the look of a girl excited about, well, anything, this was the look of a girl about to face an executioner. Kisa smiled and accepted Kate's rigid hug which was completely unlike her. Kisa helped Kate with her zip and fixed her makeup before sitting down with her little nephew who was watching some cartoons and she just watched Kate from a distance. Watched Kate fidget with her dress, adjust her makeup, clean up, move things around, take jewellery on and off and back to pulling at her dress self consciously. Kate looked ill by the time her date was due and when the knock came to the door she looked like she might throw up. What the hell was Kate doing exactly it was clear she didn't want to go.

A couple hours later as Kisa watched an old film she heard a car pull up, little Seth already snuggled up asleep in bed. She walked over and opened the door to a desolate but oddly determined looking Kate.

"Is the little man in bed?" Kate asked.

"Yeah. It didn't go well I take it" Kisa said feeling bad, even though she had known a bad date was kind of inevitable as her friend was clearly desperately in love with another man.

Kate sighed "It was fine and then it wasn't. Would you mind holding on for a couple hours, there is something I should really go and do".

Kisa smiled, maybe Kate finally understood.

"It's about time. Go" Kisa said. Kate nodded to her a little smile playing on edge of her lips as she walked by her and over to a little cabinet and took out a photo album and slipped out a small picture, of little Seth Kisa imagined. Kate grimaced over at her as she headed for the door but she looked happier, like a weight had finally been lifted from her delicate but very capable shoulders.


	6. Chapter 6

Jed's was literally nothing like Kate had expected it to be, it was nice and completely normal looking, not that she was sure exactly what she had expected, something sleazier perhaps. Before tonight all she had really known about the place had been from Kisa. All Kisa had told her was that it was a truck stop bar and restaurant and, of course, a culebra front. She had assured her that this place didn't lock down the same way the Twister did, which was just as well as it had already been a long night. Even still she sat in her car staring at the place for what felt like an eternity, watching people bustle in and out in various states of intoxication before she finally forced herself to open the car door. She was terrified, most of it she knew was completely irrational and the rest was that she loved Seth and really wasn't sure how well she would bear another rejection from him. This wasn't about her though, this was about her boy, which was just as well because otherwise there was no way in hell she would have even gotten this far.

She stepped out of the car, smoothed out her dress, took a deep breath and forced each foot forward until she was inside and standing at the bar. Her eyes flicked around the room hoping life would make this easy for her and he would just be there and she could just get this all out of the way. Life turns out is an asshole, so she took a seat and ordered a drink from the cheery blonde behind the bar. She had intended to ask to see Seth with that drink order, but baby steps right? She was here, that was a huge step right, I mean she could just go home now and she still would have made a huge step, next time maybe she would, ugh no. She rolled her eyes and huffed to herself, no, she couldn't leave. Seth deserved to know and she needed him to know, also she was pretty sure Kisa would just drag her back down here by the ear if she went home without at least talking to Seth. She jumped practically off her chair when she caught the tall figure approach her from the side at speed and turned to find Richard staring down at her grinning ear to ear. His goofy grin made her smile, and it was her first real smile all night. Richard still had a special place in her heart, mostly as the other troublemaking Gecko but she loved him too. It was a different kind of love but still she was really happy to see him.

"Kate, wow look at you" he said looking her over appreciatively "Seth is going to lose his shit when he sees you. I mean, between both of us, I think he may be harbouring some regrets when it comes to you two". He gave her a wink and waved her off as she tried to pay for her drink. Kate looked down self consciously at her nice dress and blushed wondering what exactly Richard thought she was there for, but she chose to ignore it and instead just hugged him close. A hug that she felt him return after a beat.

"Its great to see you Richard. You look every inch the respectable business man. So how did all of this happen?… Oh thanks" she said a little flustered.

"Luck, circumstance and a good plan" he said with a proud smile. Kate smiled back, she was happy he was happy. Richard struck her as someone who hadn't felt happy much of his life and she beamed up at his childlike smile.

"There is always a plan with you two. So how have you and Seth been doing then?" She asked innocently taking a sip of her drink, hoping to not give away her desperate need to see Seth.

"Of course" Richard grinned "It's what I do. I'm doing great Katie. Seth, well Seth's never happy, miserable to look at but yeah he's fine". Richard rolled his eyes.

"Miserable, why?" Kate asked.

"Ugh I don't want to talk about it. Come on Katie, lets put a little light in his life" he said with a mock pleading in his face gesturing to a door.

Kate smiled and nodded up at him before standing and following him through the unmarked door and down a corridor to Seth's office. Seeing his name on the door made Kate's stomach lurch, here it goes, there was no turning back now.

Richard knocked and Seth snarled back "What?" and Richard just rolled his eyes down at her.

"It's Richard, Look who just turned up" said Richard swinging the door open. Seth sat at his desk his head buried in paperwork, clearly pissed off and her stomach churned but at the same time all those familiar warm feelings swam over her afresh. She had even missed this grumpy asshole's mood's. He tossed the pen on the table a little too hard and looked up "What?" he snapped and then his scowl dissolved and his lips pulled up into a broad smile when his eyes met hers. Yeah she had been a fool to think that anyone but him could make her feel this way.

"Kate" he said simply and fuck she had even missed his voice. He got up and strode over to meet her pulling her into his comforting arms and buried his face into the nape of her neck. She immediately relaxed against him and allowed herself to just enjoy the moment, enjoy the feel of him, the smell of him, all of it. Part of her was so sure she would lose all of this forever the moment she told him why she was there, so she soaked it all in while she could. It might have to last her. Seth pulled away eventually but stayed hovering close by and she looked up and noticed they were alone, Richard must have seen right through her after all. Well, that was embarrassing.

"Hi Seth" she said with a small smile wanting so much to just touch him again but knew the moment she did she would forget about what she was here to do.

"You look great" he said leaning against his table looking like he might be feeling something similar "Oh do you want a seat?".

"Thanks, no, I mean I'm ok", it was probably best not get too comfortable she thought "Kisa told me you were here, she came into where I work so" Kate said by way of explanation.

"Kisa?" His eyes narrowed making Kate a little nervous but she nodded and after a pause he continued "Its really good to see you. I eh, missed you, kinda really regret how we left things" he said his eyes dropping from hers and her stomach churned. Why was he was saying so many right things, when she was just going to have to turn around and ruin it all anyway.

"I missed you too, more than I can really explain but first I need to tell you something, before I chicken out" she said and watched his eyebrows raise expectantly. Kate took a deep breath and pulled the photo from her bag and handed it to him "This is your son".

Seth looked at her confused and took the photo from her hand and stared at it for what felt like forever to her as she held her breath waiting.

The panic inside Kate finally reached a bubbling point and words just started flooding out "I don't expect anything from you, just… I don't know" she took a breath "I just wanted you to know, that you were a daddy. I mean, that is, that you can be a daddy, I mean, if thats something you want, not that I expect anything, and I mean I don't expect anything... to happen between us or like anything at all... I mean if you don't want to be a daddy I mean thats fine and I promise you won't see us again if thats the case" Kate said before clenching her mouth tightly shut to stop further word salad from spilling out and then an uncomfortable silence ticked by before she heard his eventual sharp inhale followed by "I'm so sorry Kate".

Her stomach churned, what did that mean?

"For what, exactly?" She asked and he looked at her confused "I mean, are you saying you don't want to be a daddy? I mean I told you its ok if you don't. Or are you just sorry you had sex with me at all? Cause you already made that abundantly clear before, we, you know, split up" Yeah she knew she was rambling again but it just kept spinning out "You know I'm not sorry, about any of it. What happened between us or my boy. I love my boy, he is happy and healthy and he looks just like you… I eh, even called him Seth after you. I mean, mostly cause I never imagined I would see you again so I thought it was important that he have some connection to you". Shut up Kate, shut up now, you sound like a crazy person, she mentally berated herself.

"Really?" Seth grinned "You called him Seth? Kate, thats… wow, I mean, thank you. No, Kate, No, none of those things, I mean I'm sorry I left you alone, sorry that you had to do this alone. I regretted leaving you only minutes after and seeing him now, fuck I regret it even more and I didn't even think that was possible" he stood up straight and reached his hand out to her tentatively and touched her face gently leaning his forehead against hers "please forgive me Kate. I regret it every day".

"There is nothing to forgive Seth, I know you had your reasons. I mean I thought you were being a complete moron but I understood. I never, not even now regret you being my first, well only" she said and softly kissed his lips.

The fuse between them ignited and he was devouring her. Her back hit the wall or maybe it was the door, her legs wrapped around him molding her body to his, his hands everywhere at once. She felt her dress slide up her thighs and his rough calloused fingers push her panties aside grazing deliciously against her most sensitive parts. A moan escaped her busy lips and oh god she needed this, wanted this so badly but as good as it felt she still whispered "Stop" and he froze.

"This is a bad idea Seth, our boy needs to be first in all of this" she whispered her voice still throaty with need.

"Do you want me to stop?" He asked, his voice catching on those whispered words.

"No" she whispered "but".

He kissed her softly and dropped his head against her shoulder "I really have missed you".

"I missed you too".

"Kate" he said pushing back uncertainty in his eyes "I know nothing about being a daddy, I could really fuck this up, my role model wasn't exactly something to aspire too. Well maybe Eddie but still".

"I mess up every day Seth, you'll manage and I'll be there" she said with a reassuring smile.

"Nah, thats bullshit, always knew you would be a great mom. Richie and I woulda killed for a mom half as good as you" he said smiling stupidly.

"You thought of me as a mom?" Kate asked.

"Well yeah, You're the kinda girl that was meant to be a mom".

"What the hell does that mean?" she asked not sure whether or not to be offended.

"You're kind and loving, but you got a tough mama bear streak that would tear predators limb from limb" he said pushing the strand of hair off her face.

She smiled a blush colouring her cheeks. Seth had pictured her as a mom, a good mom, a tough mom. She had to swallow back all emotions that surfaced with those thoughts "Thanks".

"So do I get to date the mother of my son while I'm being a daddy?" He asked with that cheeky grin that made her heart ache on his face.

"I think we should take it slow" she replied.

"Thats not a no" he replied getting cocky again.

"No, its not".

"Is it a yes?" he asked that same wicked grin she loved on his face.

"Yes, but I mean it. Slow, our boy comes first, always. Ok?" She said firmly, she had been through too much to let her boy down now.

"Yeah I know. I'm a dad Kate" he smiled "I never thought I would be a dad, never thought I would want to be a dad. Then I saw you and this picture and I want to be a dad. Is that weird?".

"No, at least I don't think so" she replied.

"We should tell Richie he's an uncle" Seth grinned.

"Sure, Aunty Kisa is already loving being an aunty" Kate smiled back.

"Aunty Kısa? How long exactly has Aunty Kisa been Aunty Kisa?" Seth asked his eyes once more narrowed in suspicion.

"Few months, I dont know maybe three, Why?" Kate asked "I mean she's really good with little Seth".

"Just answers a few questions as to why I have been getting the stink eye instead of Richard recently" said Seth.

Kate chuckled, she might have enjoyed watching those interactions.


End file.
